I don’t really know how to express myself well, but I enjoyed reading your comments today. We get a lot of haters…
Thank you for your message. I’ll definitely be around this page for quite a while…I truly love this drama. I’m always interested in seeing different perspectives, even when they contradict my own. And I really appreciate everyone who enjoyed this drama as much as I did; it’s always nice to share that enthusiasm with others.
Hey everyone ... I genuinely enjoy thoughtful debates, constructive criticisms, and layered discussions around storytelling. If anyone has controversial opinions, interesting interpretations, critiques, or unconventional takes on this drama, feel free to share them ... I’d love to engage in a mature and intellectually grounded discussion about it.
Hey, your argument has a bit of a loophole. We already know no drama is objectively “10/10,” but people often rate dramas highly because of the experience they had while watching them. Ratings are emotional responses as much as technical evaluations. A high score usually reflects that, at the time of viewing, a large number of people genuinely felt the drama deserved that appreciation. So dismissing the ratings entirely ignores the collective audience response attached to it.
And regarding the “lustful” looks between Wuyi and Wanyang ... they are literally fox demons. Their characterization is supposed to feel seductive, manipulative, shrewd, and dangerously alluring. That discomfort or intensity is part of the role itself, not accidental acting. Fox spirits in classical Chinese supernatural literature are traditionally written that way ... charm is their weapon, performance is their nature, and seduction is often tied to deception and power.
As for the dialogue delivery you mentioned ... the “whispering loudly” style is very intentional and actually part of this director’s signature aesthetic. He uses airy, restrained vocal delivery to create an otherworldly atmosphere. And in this drama, it makes even more sense because most of the characters are not entirely human to begin with. They’re meant to feel slightly detached, uncanny, emotionally controlled, almost like beings existing half inside reality and half outside it. The vocal style contributes to that mood.
And honestly, at least in this drama, Ju Jingyi used her strengths well. The softer uncanny voice tone, controlled facial expressions, and restrained emotional delivery aligned with the exact kind of character she was playing. Instead of working against the role, her here in this circumstance..it aligned with her and the drama
Saying Veil of Shadows has “no plot” feels less like criticism of the story itself and more like impatience with the kind of storytelling it’s using.
The drama is very obviously built on layers of classical Chinese literary and mythological influence. Its foundation pulls from Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, especially Painted Skin; stories that were never structured around fast-paced linear action, but around psychological duality, hidden identities, moral ambiguity, and the tension between what appears human and what actually is. The entire “veil” motif itself comes from that literary tradition: masks, constructed personas, beauty concealing monstrosity, and emotional performance as survival.
On top of that, it borrows heavily from Shan Hai Jing mythology. Many of the creatures, symbolic archetypes, and supernatural politics aren’t random fantasy aesthetics; they’re rooted in classical mythological frameworks where every being represents imbalance, desire, punishment, memory, or transformation. If someone watches it expecting straightforward western-style plot progression, they’ll miss that the narrative is operating symbolically as much as literally.
What makes the writing intricate is that nearly every character functions on multiple levels simultaneously:
* who they pretend to be socially, * who they emotionally are, * what mythological role they embody, * and what thematic conflict they represent.
Even side characters are rarely just “there.” Their choices usually mirror larger themes of identity fragmentation, obsession, loyalty, repression, or moral decay. The story constantly parallels characters against each other through doubles, masks, mirrored desires, and concealed motives, which is very characteristic of gothic Chinese supernatural literature.
And structurally, the drama relies on delayed revelation. Information is intentionally fragmented. Certain scenes only gain meaning retroactively once later truths are revealed. That isn’t “bad plotting”; it’s nonlinear tension-building. The audience is supposed to question perception itself because the characters themselves are performing versions of themselves.
People also underestimate how much Guo Jingming’s style influences the narrative construction. His stories tend to prioritize emotional architecture over conventional exposition. The visual symbolism, recurring motifs, dialogue rhythms, and aesthetic repetition are all part of the storytelling mechanism. The atmosphere is not decoration; it carries narrative information.
You absolutely can dislike that style. But saying it has “no plot” ignores the fact that it’s drawing from centuries of literary traditions built around psychological concealment, tragic supernatural allegory, and layered symbolic storytelling rather than purely event-driven narratives.
this was my take after reading @NehaRakshitha opinion...
Am I the only one who thinks this is the best ending—and a happy one, too?
There were so many unresolved ties, intricate emotions, and years of buildup surrounding so many things for each character and their relationships. The ending felt like a fresh breeze…a chance to start over. For each of them to be where they truly belong, with the person they belong with. No lingering heaviness, no burdens,worries carried forward, just peace.
The fact that all the other dramas in this universe… of Zhu yi were affiliated to youku and this one is iQIYI ….i just hope it lives upto the expectations 🤞🏻
i need to rant again...he hit sml two times....in span of todays episodes...That old man is the embodiment of corruption and cruelty — a volatile mix of violence and cunning, driven not by reason but by a deep-seated hunger for control. His actions are not impulsive outbursts; they are deliberate manipulations, orchestrated with a schemer’s patience and a sadist’s satisfaction. He hits, coerces, and provokes, using intimidation as a language and deceit as a craft. Every gesture, every word is calculated — designed to inflict, to dominate, to humiliate.
There’s something disturbingly methodical about his wickedness, as if he takes intellectual pride in his own depravity. He disguises exploitation as authority, cruelty as discipline, and intrusion as concern. The way he stalks and preys on others isn’t just unethical — it’s psychologically perverse, a violation of human dignity masked under false moral superiority. He operates in shadows, weaving lies like a strategist of decay — manipulative, coercive, venomous, and utterly devoid of conscience.
At his core, he is not merely toxic; he is corrosive — eroding the integrity of everyone and everything around him. There’s no empathy, only ego; no humanity, only hunger for control. A vile contradiction of intellect without morality — articulate in speech, yet barbaric in action. Truly, a man rotten to the core — a walking testament to how evil can wear the face of reason while committing the acts of monsters.
Why does the SML’s dad get so violent? I honestly can’t stand him — someone please give that man a name…
That old hag is a scheming, calculated, and venomously toxic creature — manipulative, vindictive, and ruthless. Every move she makes is soaked in deceit and malice. A cold-blooded presence toxic, rotten to the core.
Why does the SML’s dad get so violent? I honestly can’t stand him — someone please give that man a name already. He’s such a purple crow… I don’t even curse, but the amount of rage I have right now is unreal...such a scum red carpet(｡•̀ ⤙ •́ ｡ꐦ) !!!
First of all this jerk Pei doesn’t even know what's FL's feeling for him then how come this creep so confidently…
It’s almost funny how delusional he can be at times—by the time he decided to confess at a family lunch, the ML and FL were already in a relationship. The whole thing was just embarrassing.
My timing actually works out well. I have a few exams coming up, so I’ve paused at episode 15. Since we’re in a phase where episodes are coming alternately, it feels quite efficient. I can always plan a proper binge later.
And regarding the “lustful” looks between Wuyi and Wanyang ... they are literally fox demons. Their characterization is supposed to feel seductive, manipulative, shrewd, and dangerously alluring. That discomfort or intensity is part of the role itself, not accidental acting. Fox spirits in classical Chinese supernatural literature are traditionally written that way ... charm is their weapon, performance is their nature, and seduction is often tied to deception and power.
As for the dialogue delivery you mentioned ... the “whispering loudly” style is very intentional and actually part of this director’s signature aesthetic. He uses airy, restrained vocal delivery to create an otherworldly atmosphere. And in this drama, it makes even more sense because most of the characters are not entirely human to begin with. They’re meant to feel slightly detached, uncanny, emotionally controlled, almost like beings existing half inside reality and half outside it. The vocal style contributes to that mood.
And honestly, at least in this drama, Ju Jingyi used her strengths well. The softer uncanny voice tone, controlled facial expressions, and restrained emotional delivery aligned with the exact kind of character she was playing. Instead of working against the role, her here in this circumstance..it aligned with her and the drama
The drama is very obviously built on layers of classical Chinese literary and mythological influence. Its foundation pulls from Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, especially Painted Skin; stories that were never structured around fast-paced linear action, but around psychological duality, hidden identities, moral ambiguity, and the tension between what appears human and what actually is. The entire “veil” motif itself comes from that literary tradition: masks, constructed personas, beauty concealing monstrosity, and emotional performance as survival.
On top of that, it borrows heavily from Shan Hai Jing mythology. Many of the creatures, symbolic archetypes, and supernatural politics aren’t random fantasy aesthetics; they’re rooted in classical mythological frameworks where every being represents imbalance, desire, punishment, memory, or transformation. If someone watches it expecting straightforward western-style plot progression, they’ll miss that the narrative is operating symbolically as much as literally.
What makes the writing intricate is that nearly every character functions on multiple levels simultaneously:
* who they pretend to be socially,
* who they emotionally are,
* what mythological role they embody,
* and what thematic conflict they represent.
Even side characters are rarely just “there.” Their choices usually mirror larger themes of identity fragmentation, obsession, loyalty, repression, or moral decay. The story constantly parallels characters against each other through doubles, masks, mirrored desires, and concealed motives, which is very characteristic of gothic Chinese supernatural literature.
And structurally, the drama relies on delayed revelation. Information is intentionally fragmented. Certain scenes only gain meaning retroactively once later truths are revealed. That isn’t “bad plotting”; it’s nonlinear tension-building. The audience is supposed to question perception itself because the characters themselves are performing versions of themselves.
People also underestimate how much Guo Jingming’s style influences the narrative construction. His stories tend to prioritize emotional architecture over conventional exposition. The visual symbolism, recurring motifs, dialogue rhythms, and aesthetic repetition are all part of the storytelling mechanism. The atmosphere is not decoration; it carries narrative information.
You absolutely can dislike that style. But saying it has “no plot” ignores the fact that it’s drawing from centuries of literary traditions built around psychological concealment, tragic supernatural allegory, and layered symbolic storytelling rather than purely event-driven narratives.
this was my take after reading @NehaRakshitha opinion...
netflix made a singles inferno edit of this drama..admin so creative fr..
Check this out yan xiao and mu tian ji.. might collaborate in a new project…
There’s something disturbingly methodical about his wickedness, as if he takes intellectual pride in his own depravity. He disguises exploitation as authority, cruelty as discipline, and intrusion as concern. The way he stalks and preys on others isn’t just unethical — it’s psychologically perverse, a violation of human dignity masked under false moral superiority. He operates in shadows, weaving lies like a strategist of decay — manipulative, coercive, venomous, and utterly devoid of conscience.
At his core, he is not merely toxic; he is corrosive — eroding the integrity of everyone and everything around him. There’s no empathy, only ego; no humanity, only hunger for control. A vile contradiction of intellect without morality — articulate in speech, yet barbaric in action. Truly, a man rotten to the core — a walking testament to how evil can wear the face of reason while committing the acts of monsters.
Idk if it’s too early for this take~
But till now I kinda .. agree a little bit..
hope there is a character development arc…